Susan Chamberlain hits a topspin forehand Saturday during her loss to Carrie Thornton in the women’s 3.5 singles final at Elliott Tennis Center.

Carrie Thornton hits a forehand Saturday against Susan Chamberlain during the women’s 3.5 singles final of the Taco Bell Western Slope Open at Elliott Tennis Center.

The overall women’s winner Tabor Scholl, 15, of Kremling, crosses the finish line.

Runners start of the 5k Monument Downhill from the east entrance of the Colorado National Monument to Dos Hombres on Broadway.

Overall and men’s winner Liam Meirow, 16, of Dillon, crosses the finish line.

Sam Meyer, right, takes to the air to return the ball as his partner Jason Davis backs him up during their men’s 4.5 doubles match at the Taco Bell Western Slope Open tennis tournament on Friday at the Elliott Tennis Center. Meyer and Davis, who are both now 31 years old, played together on the Grand Junction High School varsity tennis team more than a decade ago.

Anne Hughes hits a forehand during the Taco Bell Tennis Tournament in her match against Aimee Basinski during the girls 18 and under single final at the Elliott Tennis Center Thursday morning. Basinski won 6-3, 6-2.

Aimee Basinski hits a forehand in the Taco Bell Tennis Tournament against Anne Hughes during the girls 18 and under single final at the Elliott Tennis Center Thursday morning. Basinski won 6-3, 6-2.

A great blue heron skewers a trout at Confluence Park in Delta. The bird waded onto a sandbar just covered by water and speared the fish before flying away and landing on the stump. It flipped the fish up and swallowed it whole.

After shedding their capes, superheros Superwoman (Sara Cesark, 16) and Batman (Tate Hegstrom, 18) dive into their mixed doubles match in their Underoos and homemade shirts Wednesday against mere humans Jacque Soychak, 16, and Nick Rutan, 17, at the Elliott Tennis Center during the Taco Bell tennis tournament. Soychak and Rutan bested their super opponents 6-2, 6-1.

Superheros Superwoman (Sara Cesark, 16) and Batman (Tate Hegstrom, 18) celebrate a point during their mixed doubles match Wednesday against mere humans Jacque Soychak, 16, and Nick Rutan, 17, at the Elliott Tennis Center during the Taco Bell tennis tournament. Soychak and Rutan bested their super opponents 6-2, 6-1.

Jeff Popick, No. 25,  from the Grand Junction Rockies runs down the first base line after a sack bunt 5th inning. Billings Mustangs second baseman Taylor Wrenn, No. 5 covers first base. Popick hit Wrenn’s glove and the ball rolled down the first base line and Popick was safe and a runs scored.

Rockies right fielder Julian Yan, right, races in front of center fielder Max White to nab the catch in the top of the fifth inning during Tuesday’s game against the Billings Mustangs at Suplizio Field.

Rockies second baseman Juan Ciriaco connects with the ball for a double in the bottom of the third inning of Tuesday’s game against Billings at Suplizio Field.

Colorado National Monument Park Ranger Briana Board chats with kids while hiking on the Devils Kitchen trail. Photo Special to the Senttinel.

In a year when wildflowers have been in short supply, fireweed brightens the landscape on Grand Mesa and elsewhere. Folk-lore says that when the fireweed bloom turns to cotton, winter is six weeks away.

A paddleboarder Sunday negotiates the still water of Mesa Lake on Grand Mesa during an interlude between thunderstorms.The popular lake has shrunk a bit this summer but still offers plenty of fishing and flatwater recreation.

Camryn Sanchez with the OM Major Girls fast pitch team.

Megan Rubalcaba with the OM Major Girls fast pitch team.

Orchard Mesa Major Girls fast pitch team.

Blake Andersen, 12, races to the ball during his boys 12 singles match against Brandon Lovato in the Taco Bell tennis tournament Tuesday at the Elliott Tennis Center. Andersen won the match 6-4, 6-3. The two boys are friends, and both are on Monument Little League teams that won their respective state baseball titles last weekend.

Brandon Lovato, 12, races to the ball during his boys 12 singles match against Blake Andersen in the Taco Bell tennis tournament Tuesday at the Elliott Tennis Center. Andersen won the match 6-4, 6-3. The two boys are friends, and both are on Monument Little League teams that won their respective state baseball titles last weekend.

Monument Major boys little league coach Brett Coutts, top, celebrates with his team after they defeated South Boulder to win the State Championship.

Grand Junction starting pitcher Eddie Butler.

Phurba Sherpa from Montrose returns a shot from Will Prinster of Grand Junction in a Boys 18 match at Canyon View Park on the opening day of the 2012 Taco Bell Tennis Open

McKenna Griffiths from Grand Junction returns a shot from Kayla Wilczek from Paonia in a Girls 18 match at Canyon View Park on the opening day of the 2012 Taco Bell Tennis Open. Griffiths won the match 6-2,6-3.

#21, Breland Almadova from the Missoula Ospray is just out at first base in an infield hit. #40, Ben Waldrip with the GJ Rockies makes the catch for the out in the 4th inning.

The Lake of the Woods Trail No. 506 is a great place to find some moisture not too far from Grand Junction.

A fishing boat moves through the narrow gap where the Gunnison River enters Blue Mesa Reservoir.